Thermopolis WY Adventure, July 2021

The Big Horn Mountains extend from the plains and Great Basin area of Wyoming northward into south central Montana. The Big Horn Mountains and Bighorn National Forest are an outdoor paradise filled with recreational opportunities including hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and backpacking, horseback riding, mountain biking, picnicking, sightseeing, photography, snowmobiling, skiing, and sledding.

The Bighorn National Forest, including the Cloud Peak Wilderness, is unique and diverse. Within the National Forest area, you can encounter grass prairies, evergreen forests, mountain meadows, rugged alpine peaks, dramatic canyons, arid desert lands, and cascading waterfalls - all within a day's journey.

There are several scenic byways which pass through the Bighorn National Forest, all of which provide the traveler with scenic views. The Bighorn Scenic Byway (US 14) connects the cities of Sheridan and Greybull and includes 45 miles of scenic mountain driving. The Cloud Peak Skyway (US 16), connecting the city of Buffalo and the town of Tensleep, crosses the southern Bighorn National Forest and offers breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks along its 45 mile length. The Medicine Wheel Passage (US 14A) rises sharply from the Bighorn Basin near the city of Lovell and travels 25 miles through high alpine meadows to Burgess Junction, where it intersects with the Bighorn Scenic Byway. This route also boasts the largest ancient Medicine Wheel site in North America.

TenSleep Wyoming:  The breathtaking Ten Sleep Canyon is a short drive west along the Cloud Peak Scenic Byway. Take the byway through Bighorn National Forest to Buffalo, or stop in the canyon for premiere rock climbing opportunities. Looking for more outdoor opportunities? Find places to camp, hike, fish, boat and more in the nearby Bighorn Mountains and Bighorn National Forest. Winter visitors can enjoy snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and downhill skiing at the nearby Meadowlark Ski Lodge. Back in Ten Sleep, relax with a locally-crafted beer from Ten Sleep Brewing. During the summer, this microbrewery features live music and offers a handful of campsites on their scenic property. Be sure to stop in the Ten Sleep Pioneer Museum to learn the ranching history behind the town, as well as how it got its name.

Thermopolis is located in the Big Horn Basin of northwest Wyoming, 130 miles west of Casper and about 145 miles south of the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Surrounded by mountain ranges, with the Big Horn River running through town, Thermopolis boasts the world’s largest mineral hot springs, located in Hot Springs State Park. Hot Springs County / Thermopolis, Wyoming  Thermopolis is known throughout the state as one of the most desirable communities in Wyoming because of the excellent climate, beautiful surroundings, and friendly people. Thermopolis needs to be experienced to appreciate its desirability as a community in which to live, work, and play.

HOT SPRINGS STATE PARK

Over colorful terraces along the Big Horn River at Thermopolis flows water from mineral hot springs. More than 8,000 gallons flow over the terrace every 24 hours at a constant temperature of 128 degrees Fahrenheit. The park has a free bath house where the water is maintained at 104 degrees for therapeutic bathing. Hot Springs has 6.2 miles of universally accessible trails and hiking trails.  The town attracts thousands of visitors each year eager to soak in one of a handful of hot mineral pools.

HISTORY OF THE AREA

The terraces were known and used for years by Indians, who believed that the waters were beneficial to health and that they could make a warrior invincible in battle. Chief Washakie of the Shoshone tribe, who built a personal bath house there, and Chief Sharp Nose of the Arapaho tribe sold the hot springs to the United States in 1896 with the provision that a portion should be forever reserved for the use and benefit of the public. At Thermopolis each year in early August, the presentation of the springs to the white man is re-enacted in the "Gift of the Waters Pageant." When the United States released a one-square mile tract of land to the state in 1897 to establish Big Horn Hot Springs State Reserve, the Reserve became the first of Wyoming state parks. Big Horn Hot Springs still flows over the Rainbow Terraces, but significant additions have been made to the park, including the Wyoming Pioneer Home and the Gottsche Rehabilitation Center where the infirm-both young and old-have the advantage of healing waters. A winding, concrete walkway atop the terraces of sulfurous pools provides a view of algae and mineral formations on the bluffs overlooking the Big Horn River.

The town of Thermopolis takes its name from the hot springs for which it has been known. Throughout the region’s history, several Native American tribes have laid claim to the mystical “smoking waters.” Not only do the hot springs feel relaxing, but also over 20 different minerals in the water are known for their medicinal healing powers.

The suspension foot bridge across the Bighorn River is commonly called "The Swinging Bridge." The bridge offers a unique vantage point from which to view the Bighorn River and mineral terrace. Hot Springs State Park has long been known for its beautiful summer flower gardens. Make a point to bring your camera with you and capture the exciting splash of color all summer long. 

The wind river and bighorn river

Its headwaters are at Wind River Lake in the Rocky Mountains, near the summit of Togwotee Pass (pronounced TOH-guh-tee) and gathers water from several forks along the northeast side of the Wind River Range in west central Wyoming. It flows southeastward, across the Wind River Basin and the Wind River Indian Reservation, and joins the Little Wind River near Riverton. Up stream from this confluence, it is known locally as the Big Wind River. It flows northward, through a gap in the Owl Creek Mountains, where the name of the river becomes the Bighorn River. In the Owl Creek Mountains, it is dammed to form Boysen Reservoir. The Wind River officially becomes the Bighorn River at the Wedding of the Waters, on the north side of the Wind River Canyon.

The Hot Springs State Park bison herd is the central herd for the Wyoming State Parks. During the late fall and winter months, the park bison are fed a daily supplement to insure good health. This feeding usually occurs at 8:30 a.m., giving the off-season visitor the unique opportunity to view the "Monarch of the Plains," up close. Please remember that bison should be viewed ONLY while you remain in your vehicle.